The traditional May 1st parade brought together 7,000 people in Nice according to the unions (more than 4,000 demonstrators according to another source, 1,200 according to the police).
The parade saw the presence of demonstrators from various trade union organizations (CGT-CFDT-FSU-Sud Solidaire-UNSA) as well as from certain political groups such as EELV.
The demonstrators started at 10 am from the Thรฉรขtre de Verdure and after reaching the Negresco (a symbol?), turned around to end their march at Place Garibaldi (another symbol?) where the demonstration concluded with official speeches.
Everything took place calmly and in a festive atmosphere.
The organizers expressed their satisfaction with this exceptional turnout during the school holiday period and on a… sunny weekend.
It is true that the coincidence with the upcoming Sunday’s presidential election is not entirely unrelated to this mobilization, as was easily evident from the participants’ slogans.
The demands made by the workers are the same as in previous years: job insecurity, destruction of public services, challenges to social gains (pensions, social security, labor code…).
Franck GAYE, Departmental Secretary of SUD SOLIDAIRES 06, illustrated the position of the trade union movement:
“On this May 1st, as the ruling elites battle for power, the people and the workers continue to suffer!
Everyone uses the same excuse, the economic crisis, to ask workers to tighten their belts while employers increase their profits.
The outcome is that today in France, there are more than 5 million unemployed individuals and over 8 million people living below the poverty line. We reaffirm the need for a united Europe that ends financial speculation.
There is an urgency, and it is through social struggles that we will win!”
